Comments for valerie r lawsonhttps://valerierlawson.wordpress.com
Barbies on FireFri, 27 Feb 2015 16:53:32 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.com/Comment on 2015 TBR Challenge – THE FUTURE OF US Review by My 2015 TBR Pile Challenge | valerie r lawsonhttps://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/2015-tbr-challenge-the-future-of-us-review/#comment-3640
Fri, 27 Feb 2015 16:53:32 +0000http://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/?p=3067#comment-3640[…] THE FUTURE OF US by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler (2011) finished review posted! […]
]]>Comment on My 2015 TBR Pile Challenge by 2015 TBR Challenge – THE FUTURE OF US Review | valerie r lawsonhttps://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/2015/01/14/my-2015-tbr-pile-challenge/#comment-3639
Fri, 27 Feb 2015 16:47:47 +0000http://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/?p=2974#comment-3639[…] The goal of this challenge is “to finally read 12 books from your ‘to be read’ pile within twelve months”. To qualify for the challenge, books must be read and reviewed before the year is over, and all selections must have publishing dates from the year 2013 or older. (Here are the books I’ll be reading this year.) […]
]]>Comment on Tips for Attending a Writing Conference by valerierlawsonhttps://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/tips-for-attending-a-writing-conference/#comment-3637
Wed, 25 Feb 2015 19:40:08 +0000http://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/?p=3057#comment-3637thanks so much, regina!
]]>Comment on Tips for Attending a Writing Conference by valerierlawsonhttps://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/tips-for-attending-a-writing-conference/#comment-3636
Wed, 25 Feb 2015 19:39:52 +0000http://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/?p=3057#comment-3636i do especially like this bit of advice, stephanie.
]]>Comment on Tips for Attending a Writing Conference by valerierlawsonhttps://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/tips-for-attending-a-writing-conference/#comment-3635
Wed, 25 Feb 2015 19:39:20 +0000http://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/?p=3057#comment-3635yes, i did. thank you for sharing. :)
]]>Comment on Tips for Attending a Writing Conference by Regina Garvie (@garviegirl)https://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/tips-for-attending-a-writing-conference/#comment-3634
Wed, 25 Feb 2015 18:53:53 +0000http://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/?p=3057#comment-3634Great post, Valerie!!
]]>Comment on Tips for Attending a Writing Conference by Stephanie Thebanhttps://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/tips-for-attending-a-writing-conference/#comment-3633
Wed, 25 Feb 2015 18:28:11 +0000http://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/?p=3057#comment-3633Okay, one more thing. If you’re in a group and others are hesitant to talk to the speaker (it happens), it can be a great help to bring someone else into the conversation, by saying something like, “Valerie is working on the most interesting middle grade mystery about a kid who overcomes his fears to find out who the bad guy is. Valerie, why don’t you tell her about that?” Or the more vague, “Gwen, what are you working on?”
]]>Comment on Tips for Attending a Writing Conference by Stephanie Thebanhttps://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/tips-for-attending-a-writing-conference/#comment-3632
Wed, 25 Feb 2015 18:23:28 +0000http://valerierlawson.wordpress.com/?p=3057#comment-3632Great advice, Valerie!

I’d add that it’s a good idea to be generous and remember that everyone is there to learn. To be blunt, you’re not the center of anyone’s universe but your own.

Let others have a chance to speak to the speakers. If you constantly bring the conversation back to yourself, you will make a bad impression on the speaker. There’s a rumor that a speaker once told an Oklahoma SCBWI member that said speaker wouldn’t work with another writer if said other writer sent said speaker the best manuscript in the world. Life is too short. You will make a better impression by being helpful and pleasant. This is not to say you can’t pitch your book if the opportunity comes up, but if a speaker asks what you’re working on, give your elevator pitch, and if the speaker seems interested, offer a card. Then step aside. You’ve had your turn.

If a speaker is nice to you, it doesn’t mean that the speaker thinks that your book is the best ever and that the speaker will publish it. It means that the speaker has good manners. It is easy to get too excited about a polite comment. Dang, Is that a picture of me several years ago, sure that this meant I was soon to be published? Like I said, we’re all there to learn.

Offer someone a seat. Give someone a smile. Help someone out if his pen goes dry.

Be kind to those in charge. It’s hard work to put on a conference. If you don’t love the food, don’t say so. If it’s too warm or cold, it’s okay to mention it, but don’t harp on it. Some hotel conference rooms are just like that.

Don’t ask anyone, including published authors from Oklahoma to critique your work. Especially not that minute. This is not the time to pull out a manuscript and say, “It’ll only take you a minute.” No, it won’t. And really, what if your manuscript is awful? Do you really want the public humiliation? And if experienced published writers spent all their time doing (free) critiques, they wouldn’t have time to write.

Do seek out others and ask about forming critique groups. Critique groups can be a wonderful help in improving your writing. (They don’t help so much if it’s the blind leading the blind, however).

Enjoy being around other like-minded creative people. Mingle, meet people. You may find some of your best friends there. I did.